Jeremy Trott, non-executive director of the SoCP, said the professional body recognises that claims professionals need to ensure they keep up to date with all of the technical aspects of coverage and how what said cover might actually play out from a claims perspective.
Trott also detailed that claims professionals need to consider more leadership and behavioural support, as the various restrictions and working from home on a more permanent basis have changed the way the sector operates.
The society will assist members in thinking about the changing skill set required, by producing good practice guidance and by providing a forum for the advancement of new ideas, career development and professional qualifications.
Trott pointed to the way COVID-19 accelerated technological development, but also noted other aspects, including data, AI and customer expectations.
He said: “Let’s be honest, outside of a few industry experts, there were few that truly understood business interruption cover and all that it entailed; and this is only from one very specific perspective – pandemics.
“We now need to review what other key aspects of cover we need to consider going forward, and work with underwriters and other areas of the business to drive forward both policy and technical developments across our businesses, with simplicity and transparency at their core, for both customers and employees.”
“We’ve gone from everyone in an office to everyone from home and will probably morph into a hybrid of the two during the coming years, with a variety of different models being set up.
“How do we ensure that we are thinking about all of the regulatory, welfare, customer, technological, training and induction concerns moving forward, and provide support to our membership?”
“Whatever we need to do should come from clear and simply explained policies that we deliver on in the key moment of truth of making a claim.
“Small steps towards building back this trust, with some strong messaging about how many claims we do pay out on, will slowly and surely rebuild trust.”
